The Mandala Project is a collaborative work in progress organised by the Sydney Zen Centre bring Zen, Chinese, Laotian, Tibetan and Vietnamese Buddhist communities together with visual artists. As the mandala gradually takes shape on the floor of the gallery, the design with by covered with everyday objects such as beads, beans, rice, flowers, leaves, spices, seeds, coffee and tea. The participants in the project with have individual artistic freedom to paint with and layer the colourful and aromatic materials, but in a spirit of mindfulness, will work with what has come before. Each day, as different individuals work on sections of the mandala, the design will unfold organically moment by moment.

Following Buddhist principles, the process of creation will include dissolution, making reference to the impermanence of our lives. A closing ceremony celebrating the mandala’s completeness and destruction will be held Saturday 3 February [2001], 3-6pm with a Buddhist blessing by Subhana Barzaghi, Sydney Zen Centre and guest speaker Jackie Menzies, Head Curator of Asian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The Mandala Project is an official event of the Sydney Fringe Festival, 2001.